Basket-tipping apparatus



p 9 8 T. F. ALLEN 2,129,394

BASKET TIPPING APPARATUS Filed NOV. 9, 1956 IN V EN TOR.

A TTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 6, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to improvements in basket-tipping apparatus.

In my co-pending application entitled Harvesting apparatus, Ser. No. 77,711, filed May 4, 1936, I have disclosed, in connection with apparatus for handling lettuce and like vegetables, a system which includes the use of large baskets for transporting lettuce from the field to trimming and packing sheds. The system also includes mechanism for tipping these baskets after they have been removed from the truck which transports them so that their contents are readily accessible to workers at the trimmers benches.

The preferred form of this basket-tipping apparatus comprises an overhead hoist, either hydraulic 'or pneumatic, connected with a pivoted frame in which the basket is placed to be swung or tipped by the hoist under control of the worker at the trimmers bench. Experience in the actual installation of such systems has proven that in some cases the vertical clearance in a packing shed is insuflicient to accommodate a hoist positioned above the basket-tipping frame and still allow space with the vertical movement necessary to tip the frame and basket the required distance.

It is, therefore, the object of the present inven tion to provide an improved basket-tipping apparatus in which the space required for hoisting mechanism is minimized.

Another object of the invention is to provide a compact hoisting mechanism for basket-tipping apparatus and the like through simple and inexpensive means without sacrificing the advantage of a good leverage in the connection between the hoist. itself, and the basket-tipping mechanism.

Other objects and advantages will be made apparent in the following specification, wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawing illustrating one form of the invention.

In the drawing- Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a basket-tipping apparatus embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one end of the apparatus.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the baskettipping apparatus is shown as positioned adjacent a trimmers bench Ill. It comprises a pair of end frames, shown generally at I I, supported for pivotal movement about a horizontally disposed bar l2 carried by framework 13 rigidly supported relative to the floor.

An overhead hoist is connected with the frames I I to raise them about their pivotal connection with the bar l2 so that a basket I! carried between the frames H is moved to a position where its contents are readily accessible to workers who stand before the bench Hi, this position of the basket being illustrated in dotted-lines in Fig. 1.

The hoist, which may be of any conventional design, comprises a cylinder l5 containing a reciprocable piston (not shown). A three-way valve l6 controls the flow of fluid, preferably air under pressure, to and from the lower end of the cylinder. This valve has a. connection I! leading to a source of supply of compressed air and is connected by a conduit ill with the lower end of the hoist cylinder l5. The valve also includes an exhaust port l9 and a control lever 20 is operable to manipulate the valve so that the compressed air will be directed into the cylinder or will be permitted to escape from the cylinder, through the exhaust port l9. Cords 2| and 22 are connected with opposite ends of the valve control lever 20 with their ends hanging in a position where they may be conveniently grasped by a worker standing at the bench Ill to control the valve. The piston within the cylinder 15 is connected by a "piston rod 25 with the center of a rigid spreader 26 (see Fig. 2) which in the present instance is illustrated as a channel-shaped metal bar. Cables 27 are secured to and depend from opposite ends of the spreader 26, and are connected one with each of the frames H at the points 28. The cables 26 are guided to their points of connection 28 by a pair of arcuate guides 30, which guides are channel-shaped in cross section to receive the cables and which are secured to the sides of the frames l l so that their upper ends terminate an appreciable distance from the center of pivotal movement of the frames or the bar l2. The distance between the bar l2 and the upper ends of the arcuate guides 30 determines the leverage obtained in tipping the frame and basket by upward movement of the piston in the hoist.

Owing to the channel-shaped construction of the guides and the fact that the cables lie freely within the guides, tipping movement of the frame causes the cables gradually to leave the guides so that the point of contact of the cables with the guides approaches the point 28 at the bottom of the load, where the cables are permanently attached. Owing to this construction the vertical movement of the hoist necessary to move the basket from the full-line position illustrated in Fig. 1 to the dotted-line position there shown, or' farther, is considerably less than it would be if the cables were directly connected to any single point having an equal advantage of leverage.

The frames II are shown as comprising a pair of horizontal members 32 connected and braced by diagonally disposed members 33, but any suitable construction, which ispreferably rigid and light, may be employed, it being understood that the frames may be varied in-size and shape to accommodate different types of baskets. These two side frames II are connected to each other as 11- lustrated in Fig. 2 by means of transversally extending members 34 and 35, preferably of channel-shaped construction for the sake of adding to the rigidity of the frame-work. Other brace members, as indicated at 36 and 31, may extend between the transverse members 34 and 35, and further bracing of any desired type may be used where the size and-weight of the baskets to be tipped make it advisable. The baskets are usually provided with casters as indicated in dotted lines at 38 to facilitate transporting them over the surface of the floor and in order to permit these casters to roll over the transverse member 35. This member is preferably formed with downwardly offset portions 39 which may be received in depressions formed in the floor so that their upper surfaces are flush with the floor to permit the casters to roll freely over them as the baskets are moved into and out of the frame.

The arcuate guides 30 are secured to the sides of the frames II and may be constructed as illustrated in Figure 3 wherein a flat arcuate plate 40 is spaced from the frame I l by means of an arcuate bar 4| to provide an intermediate channel for reception of the cable 21 as shown. If desired, each of the side frames ll may be constructed of two solid plates in place of the solid construction shown with plates being spaced to receive the cable between them.

These guides, as illustrated, are formed on an arc struck from the center of pivotal movement of" the, basket and therefore the leverage obtained remains constant while the basket-is being raised, and the lifting force of the hoist is confined to a straight vertical line at all times. However, the necessary vertical movement of the hoist may be even further reduced by varying the shape and position of the arcuate guides 30.

A basket-tipping apparatus constructed in the manner.,described above will operate efficiently with-amelatively small overhead clearance and makes possible the installation of overhead hoists in sheds where it is otherwise necessary to cut away or raise a portion of the roof, or install a horizontally disposed hoisting mechanism beneath the floor, involving more complicated and costly apparatus.

The invention has a wide variety of uses in harvesting and handling various kinds of fruits and vegetables. It has proven of value in connection with harvesting melons, which may be placed in the large baskets as they are picked in the field, the baskets thereafter being tipped as above described to facilitate the removal of the melons therefrom one by one for sorting and grading. Likewise, carrots and other vegetables which grow in the ground and must be washed after harvesting can be expeditiously handled through the use of such large baskets and tipping mechanism.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred form of my invention, it is to be understood that various changes may be resorted to in the construction and arrangement of its several parts within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- A basket-tipping apparatus for use in packing sheds and the like which comprises in combination a frame formed of end members rigidly connected by bottom members and front members and having an open back to permit rolling of baskets into the frame, a pivotal support for said frame adjacent the top forward edge thereof, flexible cables connected with said end members adjacent the lower forward corners thereof, channel-shaped arcuate guideways secured at both ends to said end members forming diagonal braces for the end members and leading said cables toward the upper rear corners thereof, whereby the frame may be swung about its pivotal support by an upward pull on said cables.

THOMAS F. ALLEN. 

